Saxifraga flagellaris Willd. ex Sternb.
Family: Saxifragaceae
Whiplash Saxifrage
Saxifraga flagellaris image
Photo ©Al Schneider, swcoloradowildflowers.com  

Plants in solitary clumps, stoloniferous, slenderly rhizom-atous. Leaves basal and cauline; petiole absent; blade oblong-lanceolate or elliptic to obovate, unlobed, 5-20 mm, fleshy, margins entire, sparsely to densely, coarsely glandular-ciliate, distal sometimes ciliate, apex acute to ± obtuse, mucronate, surfaces glabrous. Inflorescences 2-3(-5)-flowered, lax cymes, sometimes solitary flowers, 1-15 cm, densely purplish-tipped stipitate-glandular; bracts sessile. Flowers: sepals erect, elliptic or oblong-ovate, margins stipitate glandular-ciliate, surfaces stipitate-glandular; petals yellow, not spotted, elliptic to broadly obovate, 4-9(-10) mm, longer than sepals; ovary superior to ca. 1/2 inferior.

Although sometimes reported from North America, subspecies flagellaris is not present in the flora area; it is native in Eurasia.

Plant: perennial herb

Leaves: basal and cauline, sessile; blades elliptic-obovate, 0.5-2 cm long, the margin entire, glandular-ciliate

INFLORESCENCE: 2-15 cm tall, covered with pink to pale yellow-tipped glandular hairs

Flowers: usually 1-3; sepals erect, elliptic-ovate; petals 4-9 mm long, longer than sepals, broadly obovate, not clawed, yellow; filaments lanceolate; ovary about half inferior; nectaries inconspicuous or 0

Fruit: FRUITS 2(-3) valved; SEEDS smooth to ridged

Misc: Moist rocky slopes, ridges, and meadows; above 3050 m (10000 ft); Jul-Sep

Notes: CAUDEX fragile, with stolons; bulblets 0

REFERENCES: Elvander, Patrick. 1992. Saxifragaceae. Ariz.-Nev. Acad. Sci. 26(1)2.

Saxifraga flagellaris image
Photo ©Al Schneider, swcoloradowildflowers.com  
Saxifraga flagellaris image
Photo ©Al Schneider, swcoloradowildflowers.com  
Saxifraga flagellaris image
Photo ©Al Schneider, swcoloradowildflowers.com  
Saxifraga flagellaris image
Photo ©Al Schneider, swcoloradowildflowers.com  
Saxifraga flagellaris image